Animation Podcast

Ken Duncan has served as a supervising animator on four Disney films. His characters include Thomas (Pocahontas), Meg (Hercules), Jane (Tarzan), Captain Amelia and Scroop (Treasure Planet). Ken was also a sequence supervisor on Dreamworks’ Sharktale. He currently is running his own studio, Duncan Studio, based in Pasadena, California. This is part one of the interview.

Supervising animator of Ariel, The Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Tarzan, John Silver and Director of the upcoming film Rapunzel. In part two of the interview Glen talks about training under Ollie Johnston and some of the artistic struggles and realizations during his career.

Interview with Ron Clements and John Musker, directors of The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules and Treasure Planet. They talk about getting to Disney in the seventies and training under Frank Thomas and Cliff Nordberg.

Interview with Burny Mattinson, 50-year veteran of Walt Disney animation studios. A few films he has worked on include Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, The Rescuers, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Great Mouse Detective, Tarzan, and Mulan. In part one, Burny recounts how he came to work at the Walt Disney Studios in the 50s, and eventually worked under many of The Nine Old Men animators there.

The interview concludes with part three as James Baxter talks about learning from the old masters, what inspires him, and his experiences on films from Beauty and the Beast through Madagascar. James was the supervising animator of Belle, Rafiki, Quasimodo, Spirit, and director of the animation for Enchanted. This is part three of a three part interview.

Dale Baer came to Disney’s as an animation trainee in the late sixties, when the era of the Nine Old Men was coming to a close. He has worked for Filmation, Disney, Ralph Bakshi, and at his own studio, Baer Animation. Dale has been back at Walt Disney Animation Studios since The Emperor’s New Groove and his credits include supervising the characters of Yzma, Slim from Home on the Range, and Wilbur from Meet the Robinsons. Dale recently finished animating on the latest Goofy short How to Hook Up Your Home Theater, and he’s currently working on the upcoming film The Princess and the Frog. This is part one of a two part interview.

Interview with master animator Nik Ranieri, whose credits include Lumiere, Meeko, Hades, Kuzco. Nik talks about starting in school and what he feels makes good animation.

Interview with superstar Disney animator Andreas Deja. Andreas Talks about his own work, as well as his friendship with animation legend Milt Kahl. Part three of three.

A Milt Kahl lecture at CalArts from 1976, generously donated to the show by John Musker. Milt shows and discusses a rough cut of some of his work on Medusa in "The Rescuers." Side one of two.

Interview with Ron Clements and John Musker, directors of The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules and Treasure Planet. In part two they describe their writing process as well as developing The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.

Burny Mattinson has worked at Disney Animation for well over 50 years on such titles as Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, The Rescuers, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, The Great Mouse Detective, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan. In part two, Burny describes his transition from his short lived career as a full-fledged animator to a story artist and then to director. He also tells about the transition the studio made from Walt to the twilight of the careers of the Nine Old Men to the development of newer talent that has led the studio through the last 25 years.

Conclusion of my interview with Eamonn Butler, Animation Supervisor on the films "Chicken Little" and "Reign of Fire." Eamonn talks about how he approached many aspects of animation on "Chicken Little." Part two of two.

Interview with Ron Clements and John Musker, directors of The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules and Treasure Planet. In part two they detail their transition from animators to story artists to directors.

For over 50 years, Ray Harryhausen single-handedly animated the most captivating stop-motion creatures in movies such as Mighty Joe Young, The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Jason and the Argonauts, and of course, Clash of the Titans. He’s an animation legend and inspiration to countless animators and filmmakers the world over. This is a one part interview.

Interview with master animator Nik Ranieri, whose credits include Lumiere, Meeko, Hades, Kuzco. Nik talks about his time working on Roger Rabbitt.